CMLL Aniversario four way mask match set, MJF/Templario and Verano de Escandalo tonight, Mistico/Collision

CMLL

The CMLL Aniversario main event is set. On 09/13, Hechicero, Euforia, Esfinge, and Valiente will compete in a four-way mask match.

CMLL will use the same rule set as on Homenaje a Dos Leyendas for the minis mask match: the first two people pinned are eliminated from the match, and the final two will have a mask versus mask match. This is not how other promotions would do a four-way match, but it fits CMLL’s philosophies. Everyone else treats this as a punishment situation, and the least of the four gets punished by being unmasked. CMLL treats it as a reward – winning a mask match in Arena Mexico is the greatest possible achievement in CMLL’s mindset – so a wrestler must fight and earn that win. The traditional structure rewards the 3rd best wrestler for being better than the 4th best one, and the CMLL set tries to reward the best wrestler for defeating the second-best one.

Still, it’s lucha libre, so the topic I’m foremost focused on is which one of these four wrestlers is most likely to be unmasked. It’s not as certain as most years. Hechicero seems the least likely; he’s making progress internationally, and it doesn’t seem like a great time for a character change. I rule out Hechiero losing. Esfinge is kinda pushed as a good-looking guy and would probably survive an unmasking fine, but he also has a cool mask, and he’s younger than most people who get unmasked. I think it’s unlikely Esfinge loses but it wouldn’t stun me like a Hechicero loss. Euforia is more the usual model, an older rudo who never gets pushed at a real main event level and can probably do the same character without a mask. (Euforia also has great “losing person delivers such a good performance that they end up more over than the winner” potential.) I wonder if CMLL would be concerned about having so few masked rudos that they’d hold off on Euforia. He’s a reasonable choice. Valiente is, as well. He was already slowing down before his serious knee injury, and he was slipping down the depth chart before making this switch to a rudo side. Valiente losing nearly a year with injury probably gives him a clearer perspective on how little time might be left for him at a high level in wrestling, and he’s the one most likely to want to job at an offer of a big payoff. I rate the overall chances as Valiente most likely to lose, Euforia a bit behind him, and Esfinge much less likely.

Side note 1: Of the four, Esfinge seems the most likely winner, though Hechicero seems not far after him – especially if he ends up with his old partner/rival Euforia.

Side note 2: Salvador Lutteroth was part of the contract signing ceremony – for no real reason. He was at most overseeing it, in the role that would’ve been done by Panico or Jose Luis Feliciano in the past era. Lutteroth is in the Arena Mexico ring for a presentation at least once a month too; his public profile is increasing, and now very much the opposite of Paco Alonso’s behavior in the same role. I’m not sure one is tactic is really better than other but it’s worth noting that change.

CMLL (FRI) 08/02/2024 Arena México
1) Infarto & Retro vs Hunter & Xelhua [Relevos Increíbles]
2) Dulce Gardenia, Espíritu Negro, Rey Cometa vs Apocalipsis, Cholo, Disturbio
3) Hechicero, Magnus, Rugido vs Averno, Euforia, Soberano Jr.
4) Esfinge © vs Valiente [MEX LH]
5th defense
5) Máscara Dorada & Volador Jr. vs PAC & Rocky Romero
6) MJF © vs Templario [AEW AMERICAN]

MJF battles one of his five #1 contenders in the main event. The semi-main should set up something for 08/09. (And then 08/16 is when some of the Gran Prix wrestlers are turning up, so everything stays busy.) Valiente’s odds of losing his mask go up if he wins the title in match four.

PAC and MJF did the now standard Friday mid-day interview session for AEW talent. They were both heavily into character, which is what actually works best in that setting and with that press. (People actually at the press conference may disagree.) PAC didn’t want to be there and hated everyone, but he did seem to point out his feud with Mascara Dorada (and not Volador, as he left last week). MJF also brought up Dorada (or maybe Mascarita Dorada?) as a possible opponent, though it was clear he wanted a Mistico match most of all. MJF set it up that it’s a win for Templario if MJF has to work for it – or cheat with the ring – which usefully gives Templario a way to get something out of a title match where he’s definitely not winning the title.

I guess they’re probably going to do this same bit with Jericho in six weeks, though he’s a better guy for after the fact – especially given how much he likes to talk about behind-the-scenes stuff.

CMLL (SAT) 08/03/2024 Arena Coliseo
1) Galaxy, Shockercito, Último Dragóncito vs Full Metal, Mercurio, Pequeño Polvora
2) Kira, La Vaquerita, Skadi vs Amapola, Hera, Metálica
3) Futuro, Hombre Bala Jr., Max Star vs Cancerbero, Luciferno, Virus
4) Atlantis, Blue Panther, Panterita del Ring vs Felino, Felino Jr., Rey Bucanero
5) Valiente vs Hechicero [lightning]
6) Templario, Titán, Volador Jr. vs Dragón Rojo Jr., Gran Guerrero, Stuka Jr.

Hechicero gets another singles match in Arena Coliseo; this one probably won’t end cleanly.

Mistico wrestled on the AEW Collision tapings on Thursday. That’ll air on Saturday. I’m not writing who he’s facing because I’m writing this paragraph Wednesday afternoon, and even though he’s clearly there to wrestle, AEW has not announced a match or that Mistico will be at the show at all. I was harsh on AEW for not announcing Mistico as appearing in Los Angeles when he was a surprise for the Casino Rumble, and others pushed back that it did make it more fun to have Mistico kept a surprise. I don’t think AEW is doing a Casino Rumble on Collision so I feel like they should’ve tried to sell a few tickets this time.

CMLL (SUN) 08/04/2024 Arena México
1) Angelito, Kaligua, Pequeño Magía vs Pequeño Olímpico, Pequeño Violencia, Pierrothito
2) Astral vs Diamond [lightning]
3) Capitán Suicida, El Audaz, Volcano vs Kráneo, Okumura, Vegas
4) Blue Panther Jr., Fugaz, Panterita del Ring vs Akuma, Gemelo Diablo I, Gemelo Diablo II
5) Atlantis, Dark Panther, Star Black vs Dragón Rojo Jr., Gran Guerrero, Zandokan Jr.
6) Esfinge, Templario, Volador Jr. vs Averno, Euforia, Terrible

It will feel like they’re doing one part of the Aniversario feud on every show from now until 09/13. That main event has the (dropped?) Volador/Averno feud too.

CMLL (MON) 08/05/2024 Arena Puebla
1) Astro, Asturiano, Black Tiger vs Espíritu Maligno, King Jaguar, Sombra Diabólika
2) Astoreth, Kira, Skadi vs Hera, Lady Amazona, Olympia
3) Capitán Suicida, El Audaz, Meyer vs Dark Magic, Espanto Jr., Raider
4) Flip Gordon, Pegasso, Stigma vs Hijo del Villano III, Sagrado, Villano III Jr.
5) Star Black © vs Último Guerrero [MEX HEAVY]
fourth defense
6) Místico vs Magnus

They’re going for another sell out. I mentioned Wednesday how times have changed and Ultimo Guerrero is at the point of his career where he’s just losing this sort of title match (though Star Black is a peg lower than the guys he normally loses to.) The other thing that’s changed is that I was so tired of seeing formulaic Ultimo Guerrero singles matches seven or eight years ago and CMLL’s pulled back so far on them that I’m actually looking forward to that one.

CMLL (TUE) 08/06/2024 Arena Coliseo Guadalajara
1) Ángel Oriental, Prince Dragó, Último Ángel vs Rav, Shezmu, Temerario
2) Adira, Dulce Kitty, Náutica, Zorha vs Candela, Hatanna, Nexy, Valkiria
3) Leo, Omar Brunetti, Vaquero Jr. vs Arlequín, Draego, Persa
4) Barboza vs Hijo del Villano III [lightning]
5) Atlantis & Panterita del Ring vs Nitro & Satánico
6) Máscara Dorada, Titán, Volador Jr. vs Gran Guerrero, Stuka Jr., Último Guerrero

A rare team up of all three Los Guerreros.

Informa had a bunch of additional upcoming announcements, some well into the future.

• the 08/11 (Sunday) card will have a Depredadores versus Divinos Laguneros match
  • Volador also asked for a cibernetico to determine a new member of Los Depredadores.
• Announced in a press statement later, the CMLL Women’s Universal tournament will occur over three weeks. There will be tournaments on 10/04 and 10/11 and the final on 10/18
• The Women’s Gran Prix will take place on 10/25. Like the men, it will be 10 versus 10.
  • Tessa Blanchard is the first person on Team World
    • La Catalina and Zeuxis were not yet announced, but will obviously be on Team World. Persephone probably will be too, just with the small chance they may move her to Team Mexico depending on how the numbers work out. That’d leave six spots for women from AEW, ROH, NJPW Strong or Japan.
  • If Mercedes Mone is going to wrestle in Arena Mexico, the Gran Prix would be a logical time for her to arrive.
• The Rey del Inframundo competition is getting re-worked
  • There will be eight man qualifying cibernetico in Puebla (10/28), Arena Mexico (10/29) and Guadalajara (10/30). The three winners and 2023 champion Barbaro Cavernario will have a four way match on 11/01 to determine the 2024 champ. Those Puebla and Guadalajara shows will be Dia del Muertos themed, just like the Arena Mexico shows.
• There will also be an Arena Coliseo Dia de Muertos show on 11/02, and the “everyone gets to wear their old mask” show on 11/03

CMLL will work with the Food Bank Network and other companies for a special show in Arena Mexico on 09/18, “Lucha contra el Hambre.” (That’s a Wednesday.)

CMLL (WED) 09/18/2024 Arena México
1) Kaligua, Shockercito, Último Dragóncito vs Mercurio, Pequeño Polvora, Pierrothito
2) Brillante Jr., Futuro, Max Star vs Capitán Suicida, Diamond, El Audaz
3) Zeuxis vs Reina Isis
4) Fuego, Star Jr., Titán vs Bárbaro Cavernario, Dragón Rojo Jr., Terrible
5) Atlantis Jr., Máscara Dorada, Místico vs Averno, Templario, Último Guerrero

The goal of this campaign is to get people and corporations to donate food to food banks instead of destroying or wasting it. One target is foods that get shipped to Mexico but never get out of customs for one reason or another; officials from customs agencies appeared to talk about donating that food to food banks instead. You can find more information on their site. I wonder if we could donate enough to get CMLL to record match 2 (though effort level on these extra shows isn’t always the highest.) Atlantis Jr., Zeuxis, and Salvador Lutteroth were the CMLL reps at the press conference.

When asked about changing tag team partners to Persephone, Zeuxis said that no one in wrestling is indispensable, and CMLL has a lot of talent. That is perfectly in keeping with the company’s line. They should bonus her for nailing it.

Kris Statlander did defeat Willow Nightingale, so they’ll rematch for the CMLL Women’s World Championship at some point. If it happens on All In (possible but not certain), I believe it would become the largest crowd to see a CMLL title match.

Much credit to Infobae for getting an article from the concept”foreigners, they like Mexican wrestling too.”

AAA

AAA has Verano de Escandalo tonight from Aguascalientes.

AAA TV (FRI) 08/02/2024 Palenque de la Feria, Aguascalientes, Aguascalientes
***Verano de Escandalo, 2024***
1) La Hiedra vs Sexy Star, Reina Dorada, Maravilla, Sussy Love, Faby Apache [Reina De Reinas, #1 Contenders]
2) Crazzy Steve & Havok vs Dalys & Negro Casas and Aerostar & Estrellita [AAA MIXED TAG, #1 Contenders]
3) Dulce Kanela, Jessy Queen, Pimpinela Escarlata vs Alan Stone, Scorpió Jr. (original), Zumbido
4) Chessman vs Octagón Jr. ©, Belcegor, Drago [AAA LA]
5) El Patrón Alberto, Psycho Clown, Vampiro Canadiense vs Cibernético, Dark Cuervo, Dark Ozz
6) Dark Scoria, Dark Spíritu, El Mesías vs Dave The Clown, Murder Clown, Panic Clown and Forastero, Fresero Jr., Sansón [cage]

Space will air this show starting at 9:45 Mexico City time (about 75 minutes into the CMLL show). The top three matches will definitely air, and based on recent history, the fourth will probably air.

This is the final TV taping before TripleMania Mexico. The winner of match 1 will challenge Flammer on that show. My guess is something in the main event fills in the missing names for the TripleMania main event cage match. AAA’s also missing an opponent for Vampiro’s casket match on that show. The implications for TripleMania are more interesting than the matches on the show. Maybe match four will be good; maybe the women will put something together in match one.

I’m not sure if it’s significant, but AAA has not been using the TNA logo with the Crazzy Steve and Havok team. On a very quick look, it doesn’t appear TNA has been promoting this appearance on Twitter. Crazy Steve last appeared in TNA in April, Havok last in May. (Laredo Kid also hasn’t appeared in TNA since May, since losing the TNA Digital title.) Is it possible AAA’s still working with Scott D’Amore and not TNA?

I have not seen a ticket map; Aguascalientes is typically one of the better-drawing AAA TV stops.

Mas Lucha has a set of interviews from the recent AAA press event to talk about athletic wear tie-ups. Pagano says he’s about 80%. I guess it must’ve been out of sight, out of mind for me not to put it together before, but Pagano’s the obvious opponent for Vampiro at TripleMania if he’s healthy. Pagano’s asked about that, but asked in a “Penta said no, would you say yes?” and he’s mock offended that he’d choose to be the second choice. He does talk about his long and strong fandom of Vampiro, and it sounds like he’d be up for that retirement match.

Hijo del Vikingo acknowledged TripleMania Mexico City is out of the question for him. There’s concern about him messing up the work that’s been done on his knee. Vikingo is hopeful he may get cleared in 4-6 weeks, but it sounds like he’s been convinced not to rush this. He did his second training session and his first springboard since the injury shortly before the interview. Vikingo says he was as nervous doing that springboard as the first time he ever did one, then thrilled when he could pull it off safely.

Forastero says he really has no interest in teaming with Fresero Jr. but that’s what the promotion decided. NGD and Los Traumados have feuded on indie shows so that’s more keeping in that feud rather than taking shots at the booking but also it’s still a weird partnership.

Quereatro’s “Indy Wrestling” promotion (yes that’s really it’s name) has a 2nd Anniversary show planned from 08/09. The show was originally a mix of AAA and indie wrestlers, including Penta. Wednesday, IW announced they were told Penta was no longer allowed to be on the same cards as AAA wrestlers. Given the choice between Penta or all the AAA wrestlers, they replaced Psycho Clown, Negro Casas, Abismo Negro Jr., El Fiscal, Faby Apache, Sexy Star, La Hiedra, and Lady Flammer on their lineup with indie wrestlers and kept Penta. IW promised to run an AAA-centric card later to make it up to those who wanted to see those names.  Penta being vetoed by AAA seems like a new, consistent policy, though it also seems notable that at least some of these groups are choosing to break with AAA rather than ditch Penta (which is the point of these sorts of blocks).

An AAA spot show in Toluca with a Psycho Clown vs Mesias vs Cibernetico match is being nicknamed Triangular de la Muerte. It’s a coincidence but a funny one.

A Vampiro retirement stop in Arena Aficion on Thursday seems to have drawn a good house.

IWRG

IWRG (THU) 08/01/2024 Arena Naucalpan [IWRG, La Tijera]
1) Águila Dorada, Ángel Kid, Súper Koi b Argus, Fobia, Máscara De Hierro 
2) Príncipe Centauro b Wisin El Dog, Hijo De Sparta, Pinochito, X-Devil, New Level, Hijo De Brazo De Platino, Águila Oriental, Gravedad Cero 
Principe Centauro won going into a title match Sunday
3) Fandango & Noisy Boy b Sol & X-Devil and Skayler & Visionario 
4) Lunatik Extreme, Súper Boy, Toto b Águila Roja, Fly Star, Lunatik Fly  
5) Hell Boy, Hijo de Canis Lupus, Puma de Oro b Carta Brava Jr. (LLB), Demus, Hijo del Alebrije [super libre]  
6) Hijo de LA Park & LA Park b Canek & Canek Jr. and Fuerza Guerrera & Juventud Guerrera  

IWRG (SUN) 08/04/2024 Arena Naucalpan
1) Sacro & Sky Man vs Histeriosis & Rey Aztaroth
2) Gravity, Noisy Boy, Spider Fly vs Águila Roja, Mr. Mike, Puma de Oro
3) Auzter, Big Mami, Veneno vs Cerebro Negro, Cerebro Negro Jr., Lady Maravilla
4) Multifacetico Jr. © vs Príncipe Centauro [IWRG IC WELTER]
2nd defense
5) Hell Boy & Hijo de LA Park vs Estrella Divina & Jessy Ventura and Hijo de Canis Lupus & LA Park Jr. and Hijo De Silver King & Vangellys [relevos suicidas]
6) ? vs ?? [mask, hair, ? CHAMP]

Vangellys and Hell Boy are the people putting titles on the line , so there’s probably a title change there. (On the other hand, this Silver King Jr. has existed for about five minutes, so him losing a mask wouldn’t be any sort of deal.)

Other Notes

Telemundo has an article on Miss Gaviota as the first transexual luchador. I’m not sure if this is a new one or if it just gets repeated every year.